Wimpy, the UK’s oldest burger chain, has introduced a limited-edition vegan burger. The burger contains a Beyond Meat patty on a vegan brioche bun, with lettuce, tomato, and egg-free mayo. The burger will be available throughout January 2021 as a trial basis and it is assumed that a successful trial will mean a permanent rollout.
For now, the burger is only available at selected stores on a trial basis, but it may become a permanent fixture if successful. The chain says the vegan burgers will be cooked on a separate grill from the meat ones, with separate tongs used to handle them.
Beyond Meat has been increasingly making inroads into the UK market since it arrived in the country two years ago — it has been sold at discount supermarket Lidl and Lewis Hamilton’s burger chain Neat Burger, and is also rumoured to be coming to British McDonald’s stores.
But surprisingly, the Beyond burger isn’t Wimpy’s first plant-based offering — it launched its Spicy Bean Burger way back in 1986. The burger contains five different types of bean and is served in a brown bun. While the chain says the bean burger remains a customer favourite, it clearly recognises the demand for more “meaty” vegan options.
“We’re excited to launch a brand-new burger built for our meat-free and flexitarian fans!” Wimpy said on its website. “Carefully prepared and individually cooked to order, the Beyond Meat patty combines pea and rice protein, with extracts of potato, apple, beetroot, pomegranate, carrot, and lemon juice, to create the perfect blend of flavours.”
